Floating buoy retrieving hook



114M253 XR 3,022,763 SR muuu Mm LEM-JUL, dwmwan MUM Feb. 27, 1962 R. A.TURRENTINE 3,022,763

FLOATING BUOY RETRIEVING HOOK Filed March 9, 1959 f? 0 ,4. 7 f/fle 3 U0/0 I I V I ZIQOR.

/ 19 avg/5:

ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofi 3,022,763 Patented Feb. 27, 1962 iceThis invention relates to new apparatus for retrieving floating marinebuoys, and more particularly to means for retrieving such buoys andmoving them to new locations.

The use of floating buoys to mark channels and the location of variousunderwater objects is well known. Such buoys are generally connected toan anchor by means of a chain or cable so that they will remain in theproper location. In many instances it is desirable or necessary to movethese buoys from time to time. The movement of a buoy from one locationto another is often difficult and time consuming, since it is necessaryto bring a boat near the buoy, and send a man over the side to manuallyfasten a towing line to the buoy before it can be moved.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for retrieving andmoving floating marine buoys without any manual handling. It is anotherobject to provide a means for retrieving and moving such buoys whichobviates closely approaching the buoy in a boat. object is to provide afloating retrieving means he used to engage abufiy, tow it, and re asesiiE'ETb bfholely"bynnriiiflTiflifTiis a ac dll2 According to thepresent invention a floating retrieving hook is used to retrieve andmove buoys from one location to another. This floating retrieving hookcomprises a buoyant bodmWig vertical and hor zontal stglnlizggs,

a a ii iv nhglfi ls l l ai lllQl$fililhfl=$fliflfidlll Q? e w Thestabilizers are so aflixed that the re tasting hoo will not followdirectly behind the towing boat, and so that it will ride 'under thesurface of the water at a desired depth. Means are provided for quicklyreleasing the buoy upon arrival at the new location.

The invention may more readily be understood by reference to theaccompanying drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodimentof the floating retrieving hook of this invention, FIGURE 2 is is avertical sectional view taken at 2r'2 on FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the retrieving hook, takenat 3-3 on FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 1, a buoyant elongated body member 10, having a forward endand a stern end, has a rounded nose 12 at its forward end, and liftingmeans 14 for convenience in handling the retrieving hook. A closuremember 15 at the stern of body It} is welded or otherwise attached so asto make the body substantially watertight. Stabilizing means 16 areprovided for horizontal stabilization of the retrieving hook, andcomprise a fin extending longitudinally along the body member to a pointbeyond the end thereof. The portion 18 of stabilizing means 16 isadapted to be bent upward or downward as necessary to cause the floatingretrieving body to submerge to a desired depth when the retrieving hookis moved forwardly through the water. Generally the portion 18 will bebent downwardly a few degrees, but inaccuracies in proportions ofvarious elements on the retrieving hook may require that portions 18 beleft horizontal, or even be bent upward slightly, in order for theretrieving hook to travel at the desired submerged depth when movingthrough the water.

Stabilizing means 20 are provided for vertical stabilization of theretrieving hook, and comprise a fin extending longitudinally along thebody member to a point beyond the end thereof. The portion 22 ofstabilizing means 20 Sti other an a O v to Herein as a re easififlinffsattached is bent at an angle to cause the retrieving hook to movelaterally from the towing boat and to be pulled in a position laterallyremoved therefrom. In the modification shown in the drawing, thevertical stabilizer will cause the floating retrieving hook to follow tothe port of the towing boat.

Buoy anchor line engaging means comprising an arm 24 is provided forhooking a buoy a'nbhor line and for attaching a towing line at the outerend at 26. This arm is affixed to body member 10 at 28, intermediate theforward end and the stem end of the body member, and extends laterallyand forwardly therefrom. The leading edge of arm 24 is preferablyrounded to prevent damage to the buoy anchor line. In the modificationshown on the drawing, a cylindrical bar 29 is welded along the entirelength of the leading edge to provide a smooth, rounded surface.Preferably arm 24 is attached astern of the center of gravity of thefloating retrieving hook, since better towing is achieved thereby, inthat the floating retrieving hook is less likely to veer from thedesired course, and is less likely to be turned by the force of the buoyanchor line.

An eye 30 is provided astern of the juncture of arm 24 with the body.This eye, together with a line (not shown) attached thereto, providesmeans for releasing the buoy from the floating retrieving hook, as willbe shown hereinafter.

Preferably an eye 32 is provided on top of the body 10 and substantiallyat the center of gravity of the retrieving hook for convenience inhandling the retrieving hook when putting it in the water or removing itfrom the water.

In operation aow lie is attached to the arm 1E42 floating retriev m a erinff ferred to eye 30. The floating retrieving hook is then lowered overthe side of the boat, preferably while the boat is moving through thewater, and both the tow line and the release line are payed out, thereleasing line being maintained in a slack condition. Due to the angleof the vertical stabilizer 20 as bent at 22, the floating retrievinghook moves to a position off the port beam of the towing boat. It mayreadily be seen that the position of the floating retrieving hook withrelation to the towing boat is dependent on the angle at whichstabilizer 20 is bent at 22, and the speed of the towing boat. Generallystabilizer 20 is bent to an angle of from about 10 to about 45, althoughlarger angles, up to about 60, and smaller angles, down to about 5', mayat times be desirable.

The floating retrieving hook is slightly buoyant, so that when at restit floats on top of the water. When pulled through the water by means ofthe towline attached at 26, however, the floating retrieving hook issubmerged, due to the action of the bent ends 18 of horizontalstabilizers 16. The depth to which the floating retrieving hooksubmerges is dependant on the angle to which ends 18 are bent, and onthe speed of the towing boat. Generally these are coordinated so thatthe floating retrieving hook travels a few feet, say up to about 6 feet,below the bottom of the buoy to be retrieved. Generally ends 18 are bentdownward to an angle of up to about 15, although in some instances it isnecessary to leave these ends horizontal, or even to bend them upwardslightly, say up to about 15.

Upon approaching a buoy to be moved, the retrieving hook is guided sothat, in the modification shown in the drawing, the body 10 is to theleft of thebuoy, and the outboard end of arm 24 is to the right of thebuoy. Due to the submerged position of the retrieving hook, arm 24contacts the cable or other line by which the buoy is secured to itsanchor, and this cable slides along arm 24 until it is stopped at thejuncture of arm 24 and body 10.

The boat does not slacken speed during this operation, but continues tothe new location for the buoy. Upon arrival at the new location, thespeed of the tow boat is reduced, or the boat is stopped entirely,whereupon the retrieving hook floats to the top of the water, andgenerally disengages itself from the buoy. At times, however, it may benecessary to pull the release line attached to eye 30, so that theretrieving hook is swung about and disengaged from the buoy and itsanchor cable.

It will be apparent that arm 24 may be placed on the port side of body10, and vertical stabilizer 20 may be bent to port at 22, whereupon theretrieving hook may be towed on the starboard side of the towing boat.Many other modifications within the scope of the following claims willbe apparent to those skilled in the art.

The invention claimed is:

l. A floating buoy retrieving hook comprising a buoyant elongated bodymember, an arm attached to said body member astern of the center ofgravity of said body member and extending outwardly and forwardlytherefrom, means on the outboard end of said arm for attachingaBwlir'ieTh'ori ntal stabil" reds fffirflfeiiadjusted to ficags e sal W,uoy retri 350k ....suhrn g, .fi' iriwa e. verncal stabilizing meansb'msaid body member adjusted to cause said floating buoy to movelaterally away from a boat towing said floating buoy retrieving hook bymeans of said towline.

2. A floating buoy retrieving hook comprising a buoyant body memberhaving a forward end and a stern end, an arm attached to said bodymember intermediate said forward end and said stern end and extendinglaterally and forwardly from said body member, means on said arm throughwhich said floating buoy retrieving hook is towed, means on said bodymember providing for submergence of said floating buoy retrieving hookupon forward movement in water, and means on said body member causingsaid floating buoy retrieving hook to move laterally away from a boattowing said floating buoy retrieving hook by means of the towing meanson said arm.

3. A floating buoy retrieving hook as defined by claim 2 wherein the armis attached to the body member astern of the center of gravity of saidfloating buoy retrieving hook.

4. A floating buoy retrieving hook as defined by claim 2, and includingmeans on said body astern of the point of attachment of the arm, forattaching a release line.

5. A floting buoy retrieving hook comprising a buoyant elongated bodymember having a forward end and a stern end, an arm attached to saidbody member astern of the center of gravity of said body member andextending outwardly and forwardly therefrom, means on said arm outboardof said body member for attaching a towline, horiand 6. A floating buoyretrieving hook as defined by claim;

5 and including means on said body astern of the point. of attachment ofthe arm, for attaching a release line.

7. A floating buoy retrieving hook comprising a buoyant body memberhaving a forward end and a stern end, buoy anchor line engaging means onsaid body member, towing means attached to said body member intermediatesaid forward end and said stern and extending laterally therefrom, meanson said body member effective to cause said floating buoy retrievinghook to submerge upon forward movement in Water, and means on said bodymember effective to cause lateral movement of said floating buoyretrieving hook upon forward movement in water.

8. A floating buoy retrieving hook as defined by claim 7, and includingmeans on said body, astern of said buoy anchor line engaging means, forattaching a release line.

9. A floating retrieving hook comprising a buoyant body member having aforward end and a stern end, vertical and horizontal stabilizers on saidbody member, a laterally and forwardly diverging arm attached to saidbody member intermediate its ends, and a towing cable attached to theouter end of said arm.

10. A floating buoy retrieving hook comprising a buoyant elongated bodymember having a forward end and a stern end, an arm rigidly attached tosaid body member intermediate the ends of and astern of the center ofgravity of said body member, and extending forwardly and laterallytherefrom, means on the outboard end of said arm for attaching a towlinethereto, horizontal stabilizing means on said body member adjusted tocause said floating buoy retrieving hook to submerge a predetermineddistance when moved forwardly in water, vertical stabilizing means onsaid body member adjusted to cause said floating buoy retrieving hook tomove laterally away from a boat towing said floating buoy retrievinghook by means of said towline, and means on said body member astern ofthe point of attachment of saidv arm for attaching a release line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,561,334 Leible Nov. 10, 1925 1,877,073 Solkesz Sept. 13, 1932.2,524,863 White Oct. 10, 1950 2,586,003 Caslor Feb. 19, 1952

